Tuesday, April 21, 2015

A smooth
set of grooves from the 70s – just the kind of cool compressed pop that used to
fill the 70s AM radio airwaves when we were kids – and which sounds even better
in a hip compilation like this! The package doesn't go for easy hits – and
instead digs deep into the treasure trove of 70s album-oriented rock – to find
cuts that really glow anew in each others' company, filled with surprises that
we never would have expected! Some folks have taken to calling these sounds
"yacht rock" – but to us, the sound is pure 70s at its best – a
sublime batch of tracks that includes "Georgy Porgy" by Toto,
"Wait A Little While" by Kenny Loggins, "Here To Stay" by
Boz Scaggs, "Fazon" by Sopwith Camel, "Whatcha Gonna Do For
Me" by Average White Band, "Tranquilo" by Carly Simon,
"Nightmoves" by Michael Franks, "Steal Away" by Robbie
Dupree, "Tin Man" by America, "She's Gone" by Hall &
Oates, "Midnight Prowl" by JD Souther, and "Ride Like The
Wind" by Christopher Cross. ~ Dusty
Groove

YACHT ROCK: THE ORIGINAL ALBUM SERIES - ABANDONED LUNCHEONETTE / LET THERE BE MUSIC / CHICAGO 16 / ROBBIE DUPREE / ON THE WATERS (5-CD SET)

An instant
collection of AOR genius – a package that brings together five different yacht
rock albums from the Warner catalog – all packaged together in tiny sleeves
that replicate the original album covers! The set may well be worth it alone
for Abandoned Luncheonette from Hall & Oates – a tremendous collaboration
with the legendary Arif Mardin, who takes the pair's well-crafted vocals into
territory that's much more slinkily soulful than some of their previous records
– that sound that was always lurking in the background, never quite right, but
which emerges here fully in that classic 70s Hall & Oates mode. Daryl and
John seem to harmonize more here than before, and the backings are still
somewhat rockish, but have a warmth that really suits their singing. We can't
argue with the sublime brilliance of "She's Gone", one of those
tracks that we've heard a bazillion times, but never cease to respect – and
other titles include "Everytime I Look At You", "Had I Known You
Better Then", "When The Morning Comes", and "Laughing
Boy". But if that's not enough – the collection also features four more
full albums – On The Waters by Bread, Chicago 16 by Chicago, Let There Be Music
By Orleans, and the great debut album from Robbie Dupree! ~ Dusty Groove

R&B SINGLES COLLECTION VOL. 4 - OUTTA SIGN RED HOT RHYTHM & BLUES

The fourth
smoking volume in this wonderful series – filled with excellent pre-soul
grooves all the way through! The Outta Sight label is one that we normally know
for Northern Soul reissues, but in recent years they've also been handling a
lot of R&B – but all with an ear towards the sounds that also appeal to
fans of later soul too – which makes for a very fresh approach to material from
the 50s and early 60s – and often discovery of tracks that haven't gotten any
notice for years! The package collects material from their 7" single
reissue series – the a and b-sides of 15 different 45s – with titles that
include "Image (part 1)" by Hank Levine, "I Want To Know"
by Gay Poppers, "Tie Me Tight" by Bob Kayli, "Catch That
Teardrop" by The 5 Royales, "Strange Exotic Melody" by Ruth
Christie, "Do You Think That's Right" by Judy Clay, "If You
Wanna" by Baby Jean, "Have Your Way" by Lightnin Slim,
"Cherry Wine" by Little Esther, "Wild Child" by Donnie
Elbert, "I'm Cuttin Out" by Ivory Joe Hunter, "Wow" by
David Michael, and "What A Mess" by Bobby Adams. ~ Dusty Groove